Your amazing story needs to be heard

- Any great story is great because you've been given a reason to care. That reason to care comes from a character's back story. Think of any great movie you've seen recently. Or better yet, think of a bad movie you've seen. Often, it's not engaging because a bunch of characters were introduced but no back story has been provided. You don't have to become a producer to create a great story, but you do have to follow certain steps to get people to care. When it comes to connection, yes, you want people to care, but the real goal is to build a community that you can support and that will rally behind you. Let's talk about that. People say that in order to be a great storyteller, you have to be vulnerable. This doesn't mean spilling out your deepest, darkest secrets. Instead, it means showing that you're human and celebrating your wins and being honest about your failures. But let's back up just a bit. Where does your story start and how do you tell it most effectively? The hero's journey is a strong format to follow and it goes a little something like this. Something happens in the hero's life that changes their perspective forever. This is the inciting incident. That incident illuminates something within the hero that pushes them to achieve a goal. Then the hero faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles on the way to that goal, but through those trials and tribulations, they learn a lesson. As they get closer to their goal, the stakes rise, but they're more committed than ever. They take a big risk and sometimes they fail, but that failure uncovers a truth. And using that truth unlocks creativity that ultimately leads the hero to their goal. So, how can you apply this to you and your story? Realize that even though your story is about your life, it's not about you. Wait, what? That's right, it's not about you. It's about your audience and what resonates with them. If you tell a story about something rough that you went through, you need to explain why anyone should care. But, like many people, you might be stuck on how to get that message across. For instance, I was preparing a pitch for a potential client and thought my personal description sounded a bit clunky. So I shifted my thought process and envisioned myself as a character in a story. I asked myself, "What problem is this prospect "looking to solve and how is my story relevant to that?" this allowed me to slim everything down to use an economy of words and provide a clear, relevant description. If you get stuck, try this method. Another way to look at this is to describe yourself or tell your story as if you were describing a friend. We are often kinder to our friends than we are to ourselves and this makes for a more enjoyable story. Telling your story in a way that benefits others helps you to connect to your audience and get them to care.